It's what healthy babies and toddlers discover all on their own. It's the human body's design, and it's meant to last a lifetime.
As a yoga teacher and massage therapist many years ago, I still experienced chronic pain in my own body.
I freed myself of pain and became more flexible and genuinely strong when I learned how to inhabit my body according to its innate design.
Take a look inside "Pain-Free Living with Natural Posture."
Back pain, hip, knee, shoulder, neck and foot pain are often relieved when the body returns to its innate alignment.
This can be put into practice by almost anyone—from 7 to 107—for greater comfort and ease of movement.
We offer books and posture aid products that will start you on your way to feeling more comfortable and free from pain. Listen to Kathleen's podcast, watch her videos, or sign up for her online course.
I've written books that detail principles of natural alignment that point the way "home" for both adults and children, at a time when so many of us are facing an epidemic of structural collapse.
I've also designed extra-small wedge-shaped cushions that help "park" the pelvis in the natural position that supports a relaxed, upright spine. They're small enough to fit in your bag and be taken along to the movies or a sporting event. Keep one in your car or take it on a plane.
Learning how to align my bones along the vertical axis freed me from mountains of tension which I had held at bay by regular stretching. I went from being a longtime yoga teacher, unaware that I had become "addicted" to daily stretching, to being a seriously committed posture nerd. I've been at this ever since.
Tune in to the ongoing discussion of various aspects of our natural human design, and try it on yourself with simple explorations that bring these concepts to life inside your body.
"Kathleen's Alignment Basics workshop changed my life! At 67, I was experiencing neck, shoulder, and knee pain that worsened with age and seemed chronic. Taking Kathleen Porter’s 5-Week Alignment Basics workshop changed my life. The pain melted away, along with what felt like a lifetime’s worth of stored tension. I began performing life’s daily activities—bending, stooping, climbing stairs, reading in bed—in total comfort again. Thank you, Kathleen!"
"Excellent!! The biomechanics of the course, coupled with her passion and grace made this the best! I encourage more courses from her for she inspires learning and promotes Omega goals and philosophy."
"This was a very enjoyable and rewarding course, conducted with grace, wit and good will. I have learned from insights generously shared. I would gladly come back again! Thank you!"
"My husband is thrilled that I don’t bug him for neck massages every day like I used to. Since learning how to stack up my bones, a lot of tension that I experienced on a daily basis is gone! And whenever I start getting tense or sore, I just stop and take the time to notice where I’ve gone astray and can almost always bring myself back to being comfortable again. Thank you many times over!"
"Just the sleeping exercises alone have helped so much. I wake up in the morning with no neck pain! Even my regular headaches have been helped by this new way of sleeping. On top of that, my knock knees (not as knocked anymore!) don’t hurt now when I walk down steps and my back feels better. If I have to stand for a long time, I can do it without my back hurting."
"I have experienced a number of body work modalities but in this workshop I learned numerous new and/or better ways to maintain a healthy musculo-skeletal system into old age. I highly recommend this workshop for everyone."
"I signed up for this workshop because in spite of a lengthy yoga practice I was still in pain. Kathleen seemed to have a new approach, so I signed on. This has been the most valuable workshop I have ever taken, and I hope it will be repeated next year. Everything immediately made sense and I have been feeling an enormous release from my chronic pain."
Our bones are the framework of support for our bodies, much like the wall studs and beams of a house. Yet the alignment of the skeleton along the vertical axis of gravity is largely overlooked today, even by fitness experts and yoga teachers. In a culture of cocked hips, sauntering models, and slouching TV watchers, where “chin up, shoulders back, stomach in” is believed to be good posture, we have forgotten what healthy alignment looks and feels like—leading to chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain for millions.
“As a family physician treating my share of patients with back pain, neck pain, osteoporosis, and dysfunctional labor, I find this book instructive. Kathleen Porter’s observation of peoples around the world who retain their natural alignment, movement, and relaxation is a clear window into the healing of the chronic pain syndromes of our culture. More than that, her work has been personally transformative.”
Leah Morton, M.D., family practitioner
" . . . a must read for everyone who cares about children. This book is an eye-opening godsend."
Christiane Northrup, M.D.
"This book is a treasure—beautiful, practical, and inspiring." Sonia Story, Founder of Move, Play, Thrive
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